Foreign Secretary: Dead British Mercenaries Will Be Buried In Donetsk, Unless Requested By Family Or Authorities

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives Natalia Nikonorova. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs DPR)

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Natalia Nikonorova said British mercenary Paul Urey, who died in custody would be buried in the House of Representatives unless his family or British authorities request that his body be handed over to them.

“There is a certain period of time for keeping the bodies, because family members may request that they be handed over to them. If there is a request, we will facilitate the handover. If not, of course we will bury him according to our rules. The time period is regulated by law," she said without specifying the timeframe, explained Nikonorova as quoted by TASS July 29.

The top diplomat in the House of Representatives added that neither the British government nor Urey's family had so far made any requests regarding his body.

As previously reported, the British citizen Paul Urey who died was a mercenary, so he could not enjoy prisoner-of-war status as stipulated in the Geneva Conventions.

"It looks like mercenary activities, i.e. he is unlikely to be seconded by official British authorities. So, he is a mercenary and that means he is a man, who, under the Geneva conventions, in particular under additional protocol, does not enjoy combatant status. Therefore that, he cannot be a prisoner of war, i.e. he cannot enjoy this status," Nikonorova explained in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel.

"He should be punished under the national law, namely the law of the Donetsk People's Republic under which he was arrested by the warring party he fought against."

Moreover, according to Nikonorova, Urey is not just a mercenary, but "a man who recruits and trains mercenaries."

"But despite such serious crimes, he was provided with medical assistance because we are committed to international principles and norms, including in relation to those on trial," he said.

According to Nikonorova, Urey died of heart failure. "He died of heart failure with complications of pulmonary edema and brain swelling, this is the official information," he said, adding that a forensic examination was carried out after his death.

He also said that Urey had undergone a medical examination and his diagnosis had been confirmed. "She received all the necessary medical support, but sadly passed away on July 10," said Nikonorova.

Separately, the House of Representatives human rights Ombudswoman Darya Morozova earlier said that a British mercenary Paul Urey died of chronic illness and depression in custody in the House on July 10. The diagnoses included type 1 diabetes, disorders of the respiratory and renal systems, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, he fell into depression due to the British indifference to his fate. Medical assistance was provided to him.

Morozova also said British authorities, international organizations and foreign media had been notified of Urey's imprisonment but there had been no reaction from them.